A Butler's Memoirs
by bbst
Summary: Companion to "A Butler Needs A Master". Sebastian's thoughts on the events that transpired before, during, and after the story.
1. November 14, 1889

**A/N: So, I finally decided to write a companion/sequel/thing to A Butler Needs A Master. And it only took me a year. This is also my first story that will be written in the 1st person. Enjoy~**

**XxxxxX**

It had been a day like any other.

I had risen at promptly seven that morning to begin the day. After taking a quick bath, I had dressed and groomed myself, taking care to make sure my suit was spotless and not a hair was out of place. A Phantomhive butler must always look immaculate, after all.

I then went to wake the other servants, and I use that term loosely. Really, they were a bunch of good for nothings, in my opinion. They were horrible at their jobs and failed at even the most simple of tasks. But I supposed they kept the manor safe. Well, when they weren't destroying it themselves, at any rate.

I first went to the room where Bard, the "cook", Finnian, the "gardener", and Tanaka, the "steward" resided. Tanaka actually had his own room, but in recent years his age had begun to hinder to him, and so he decided it was more convenient to board with the other servants. As usual, they grumbled when I woke them and were slow to get up and ready. Luckily, all it usually took was a sharp glance to get them in line.

The same treatment went for the "maid", Mei-Rin. I especially dreaded waking her. I could practically feel her longing stare boring into my back. Her...infatuation with me was quite obvious. Of course, I would never even consider having any sort of relationship with her. My life was dedicated to my master and job. And even if it wasn't, I would still refuse her. The girl was nothing more than a clumsy idiot in my mind.

After giving them their morning chores, and making sure to emphasis that they should be done slowly and carefully, I started on the young master's breakfast. That morning I had decided to make poached eggs with sausage and some fresh figs. I also prepared toast with orange marmalade and apple scones on the side. He always chose the scones, but better to be safe than sorry, as they say.

After loading everything onto a cart, I left the food in the dining table and took the tea to my master's bedroom. He would be furious if he knew I thought this, but he really was rather cute when he was asleep. He did not have an ever present frown on his face and an icy look in his good eye. Instead, he looked peaceful and more like the child he really was.

I had only been in his employ for three years, almost four. I had first heard of the Phantomhive family after the previous head and his wife were killed by a team of assassins. Thankfully, their only son made it out alive, although he did lose an eye in the attack. His butler Tanaka, although more severely injured, also came out alive.

A month afterwards, I heard that the new earl was offering the position for a new butler. This was ideal for me, for you see, I was actually from a family that was made up of servants. My mother had been a maid, and my father was himself a butler, and trained me to be one as well. I did not particularly care for the man they worked for. He was loud, fat, and vulgar. He was also unnecessarily harsh toward his servants, a trait I did not appreciate.

So when I heard of the butler position at the Phantomhive state, I immediately traveled there to see the earl. My mother was already dead at that point, and my father was sick with pneumonia. I did not foresee him ever recovering from the disease, a prediction which came true a week later.

I must admit, the Earl Ciel Phantomhive was not what I expected. I had expected a child. And while he was indeed a child, there was a certain air of maturity and authority around him. The eyes that bore into me and seemed to judge everything about me felt like they should belong to an emperor. He was a boy who obviously thought about everything he did and said beforehand. Now this was a master I would like to serve.

I suppose that he must have liked me, too, for I was hired on the spot. The previous butler was now the steward. My new master gave me my own small room and a set of uniforms. As vain as it sounds, they made me especially happy. They were made of much finer material and better designed than the uniforms at my old home.

He gave me the task of finding new staff since the previous ones were killed in the attack. He said that he wanted people who were capable of protecting the manor, along with their regular jobs. I ended up hiring an assassin, an ex-military man, and a boy who had been experimented on in a lab. I tried training them to the best of my ability, I really did. But as I've previously stated, they are simply morons.

Oh, well. I was more than capable of doing all of their jobs as well as my own. I also made a good bodyguard, if I might say so myself. Part of the reason was that I simply tried to do my job to the best of my ability, but also that I had slowly become attached to my young master. Of course, I thought he was a total brat the first few weeks, but he had a way of growing on people. He brought out my...protective instincts.

I brought myself out of my musings. I didn't want my young lord's breakfast to get cold. And so I opened the curtains and woke him.

"Good morning, young master," I greeted. "I have prepared Assam tea with milk to go with your breakfast this morning. The tea set is Wedgwood blue and white."

He sat up and let out a, admittedly, cute yawn. "That sounds fine," he responded. He then climbed out of bed so I could dress him in a dark blue suit. I handed him a cup of tea to drink while I did this.

"What's on my schedule for today?" he asked as we made our way to the dining room.

"After breakfast, you have an art lesson with Mrs. Richards. Then at noon, you have your math and Latin lessons with Mr. Cheslock. You then have some paperwork to attend to. After that, I believe you are free for the rest of the day."

"Perhaps I could invite Elizabeth over for dinner, then," he mused. " It has been over a month since she last visited. And I have promised to teach her chess."

"It _has_ been sometime since you have seen her," I agreed. Honestly, the girl annoyed me a great deal. I supposed that she was still a child, though, so I tolerated her. "Although, I'm not sure it would be wise to send an invitation on such short notice. You know how the Marchioness feels about that."

"...I suppose you're right," he responded. He didn't show it, but I could tell he was a bit disappointed.

"Perhaps some other time," I soothed.

The next few hours continued as normal. As the young master met with his tutors, I did my chores around the manor. It was one of those rare days when the other servants were actually somewhat competent. I only had to clean up a few of their messes.

I was on my way to the kitchen to prepare dinner when I first noticed something was amiss. There was a faint scent of smoke in the air. I assumed it was Bardroy and his cigarettes. Even though I had told him multiple times not to smoke them in the kitchen...

Unfortunately, it was much worse than that. As I got closer to the kitchen, I saw that there were large tendrils of black smoke coming out from the door.

"Bardroy, are you in there?" I called out.

"Sebastian, help me!" I heard him call back. "The entire kitchen's on fire!"

I stopped to think on how I could help. It was nearly impossible to see through the smoke, and even harder to breathe. It was just at that moment that something told me that I should run for cover. My instincts had always warned me when there was danger nearby, and this time was no exception. I ran back down the hallway and ducked into a closet. Seconds later, I heard a loud bang. A chill ran down my spine. When I felt it was safe, I opened the closet door to observe my surroundings.

To my horror, the entire hallway was on fire! The kitchen must have exploded. I knew then and there that there was no hope for the cook, but I did not have time to worry about him. I had to get the young master to safety!

There was a small space of the hallway in front of me that was not aflame. I quickly dashed out of the closet and began to make my way toward my master's office. My clothes became slightly singed, but I didn't care. I had much more important things on my mind.

I regret to say that my problems only became worse. When I made it to the main foyer, I spotted more of the damned smoke drifting down from upstairs. How on earth did a fire start up there? I pulled out my handkerchief and used it to cover my mouth and nose. It wouldn't do if I suffocated before located my master.

Bracing myself, I ran upstairs. The smoke only became thicker as I went along. When I finally got close to where my master's office was, I observed that many rooms I had passed had smoke coming out from the doors. It was also unbearably hot up there. Had the entire manor caught fire?

The knob to the office door was burning hot when I touched it. I ignored it, for I had to get in there. I gritted my teeth and flung the door open. I couldn't hold back a gasp, then. The entire room was on fire!

I pulled the handkerchief away and called out for my young lord. I couldn't make out a body in the flames. Perhaps he had already gotten out?

I never had a chance to find out. I had inhaled a substantial amount of smoke at that point, and more just kept coming. Struggling for breath, I turned and decided to make my way toward my master's bedroom. He may have fled to there, I thought.

I only made it a few steps before I fell to my knees. I supposed that my lungs were too full of smoke to continue working. It was odd, but something about the way the bright orange flames contrasted with the black smoke was strangely beautiful. We tend to think of odd things as we are dying, or so I hear. I laid there for another minute, unable to breath and watching the fire, before everything went dark.

My last thoughts were on how I had failed my master as a butler.

**XxxxxxX**

**A/N: What happened to everyone else will be expanded on next chapter.**

**I've once again decided to troll Raverlynn by just rubbing it in that as my beta, she gets to read all of this before you guys do.**


	2. Afterwards

**A/N: Welp, here's another one.**

**XxxxxxX**

I am not entirely sure how long it was before I regained awareness, but I do not believe it had been very long. Naturally, I had no way of knowing then that there would be plenty of times where I would wish I never had.

The first thing I had become aware of were voices. It took some effort in order to make out what they were saying. They sounded like they were being muffled by something.

"...place is completely destroyed!"

"About time, I say...damned family...always been cursed..."

"...-nd anymore bodies?"

"Not ye- hey! I th-...'ere's one!"

I found the topic of their conversation to be quite unsettling. Destroyed? Bodies? Cursed? It took all of my strength, but I finally managed to regain my sight. Oh, if I had the strength, I would have screamed. The manor had burned to the ground. All around me was burnt wood and ash. My master's beautiful manor had been reduced to rubble.

I turned back to the intruders. I saw now that it was a gang of ten men, dressed for work. They were scattered all over the grounds, digging through the manor's remains and occasionally voicing that they had found something salvageable.

"Excuse me, gentlemen?" I called out. I needed some answers. But nobody acknowledged me. How rude, I thought.

The two men next to me seemed to be trying to pull something out of a pile of wood. Curious, I watched them work. I wish that I had not, for what they pulled out was...me. If it wasn't for the fact that I had previously occupied the body, I would never have recognized it. It was burnt beyond almost all recognition. Remarkably, there were still charred bits and pieces of my suit clinging to it. Another indicator that it was indeed my corpse was the Phantomhive pin still attached to what was left of my shirt.

It was then that I finally realized that I was dead. I recall that I came to this realization calmly. I was a ghost, and yet I had no feelings on the matter. I vaguely wondered if I would ever feel anything again.

I followed them as they started to move my body. They carried it to the scorched front lawn and placed it under a white sheet. I observed that there were several other white sheets beside it. The other servants, I assumed. They were arranged by height so it wasn't too hard to tell who was who. Bardroy, myself, Tanaka, Mey-Rin, Finnian...

But where was the young master? Perhaps they just had not found him yet. I did not think it was possible for a body to be completely destroyed in a fire, no matter how small.

I waited and watched detachedly until the men left with the bodies. They never did find the young master's body. I wondered what could have happened to it.

After the workmen left, I felt feeling slowly return to me. Panic. Anguish. Devastation. And above all, loneliness.

**XxxxxxX**

The next day, another pair of men came to what was left of the manor. I recognized them as Sir Randall and Inspector Abberline from Scotland Yard. Randall's face was impassive, as always, but Abberline's face have a trace of melancholy to it. He had been fond of the young master. It must have been hard to hear of his death.

"Let's get this over with," Randall grumbled. "The yard wants a full report on what happened here."

"Yes, sir," Abberline mumbled. The man let his gaze sweep over the destruction before him.

"It shouldn't take too long. We already know there was a fire. We just have to piece together how it happened," Randall continued. "There was one witness, wasn't there?"

"Yes, sir. There was a man and his grandson traveling by the Phantomhive estate around the time the fire started. The grandson claimed to see a maid carrying a lit candle through a window. Apparently she tripped, and the next thing he saw was a tapestry on the wall catching fire. A few minutes after that, there was an explosion downstairs. We think it might have started in the kitchen. The chef did have a reputation of using too much, um, 'fire power' to cook."

"And everyone was inside the manor when it burned down?" Randall asked as he nudged a pile of soot with his shoe.

"Yes," Abberline answered. "What was left of the chef was found in the kitchen. The gardener was found in the front entrance. The maid, in the hallway. The steward, in the servant's quarters. And the butler, in the dining room. We think he may have fallen from upstairs when the floor collapsed."

"I wonder what happened to that little brat?" Randall sneered. I wanted to give the man a piece of my mind at that. How dare he insult my master? Thankfully, Abberline did it for me.

"Sir!" the inspector gasped. "You should not speak of the dead in that matter. He burned alive in his own home. How can you not pity him?"

Randall only huffed. "Well, the evidence checks out with the story. I suppose we can return to the Yard now."

"But don't you think we should search for the earl's body?" Abberline asked. "Surely he deserves a proper burial."

"If the workmen couldn't find it, what makes you think we can?" Randall scoffed. "Perhaps he just burned up. Who even cares? Come on, we're leaving."

Abberline looked like he wanted to say something, but merely sighed and followed his superior. He gave the manor one last look before muttering "Goodbye, Ciel."

I wanted to call them back. They could not just leave me here like this. But alas, they could not hear me, and I was alone again.

**XxxxxxX**

I must admit, in life I had never been a man of faith. The concept of God and angels and demons all seemed quite silly to me. It was also a trait me and my master had in common. But I now wondered if this was my punishment for my disbelief. Instead of the flames of Hell, I would have to spend eternity in the ruins of my master's home. Sometimes I wonder if Hell would have been better, for at least there, there are no memories.

I suppose that all spirits are weak at first, and I was no exception. I spent an entire fortnight simply floating around the grounds. (In those early years, it was still easy for me to keep track of how much time had passed.) I constantly tried in vain to grab hold of something. I always lamented when I couldn't. It was just further proof that I was no longer part of this world.

But I vowed to regain my ability to touch things again. How would I ever find my master's body otherwise? I constantly focused my energy on trying to move things again. It was really the only thing I could do.

One day, it occurred to me that an entire month had passed since I died. Four weeks to the day, to be precise. And that could only mean...it was my young master's birthday. The thought sent a flood of anguish through me. I should have spent the day preparing the manor for the guest Lady Elizabeth invited behind my master's back for a surprise party. I should have been in the kitchen baking an extravagant chocolate cake. I should have stood by his side while he tried to pretend he was not having a good time. But instead...instead...

I felt something wet on my face. I brushed my hand over my cheeks and then lifted it to my eyes. To my surprise, I saw that it was tears. I was...crying? I did not think that was possible anymore. This actually made me feel hope. If I could do something as simple as shedding tears as a spirit, what else could I learn to do in time?

But those thoughts left my head as I remembered why I was crying in the first place. My home was destroyed, my poor young master was dead, and I was a trapped spirit. My emotion seemed to overcome me, and I knew nothing more for a long while.

**XxxxxxX**

When I finally regained my senses, it certainly was not winter anymore. The trees had regrown their leaves and the garden was in bloom. I frowned as I saw the weeds beginning to take root in it.

With renewed vigor, I began to practice moving things again. After a few days, I was able to lift a charred brick for a few seconds. It was a small victory, but a victory nonetheless. I must have finally begun to get stronger.

In a matter of weeks, I was able to move most things with relative ease. I had become to organize the rubble out of sheer boredom. One pile was wood, one was ash, one was brick, one was appliances and fabrics that had not been completely ruined, and the last was whatever else I found.

With this new strength in hand, I decided it was time I sought out my young master's body. I refused to believe that it could be completely gone. Surely there must be something of him left!

Some of the wing that held my master's bedroom and office was still intact, so I started my search there. Before, I did not have the strength to do a thorough investigation, but I had it now. I climbed the fragile stairs without fear. I did not weigh anything, and it wasn't as if I could die again.

I flinched when I entered the room for the first time since the fire. Everything was in ruin. The carpet and wallpaper had been completely destroyed. The bed frame was a mere skeleton compared to how it was before. I combed through what remained of there, the dressing room, and the bathroom, but came up with nothing. There was only one place left to look.

I walked over to the wall adjacent the bed and searched for a certain spot. Once I found it, I knocked on it three times. As expected, the hidden door there sprung open and I looked inside. I couldn't help but cry out, for inside were indeed the remains of my master. He had been reduced to a skeleton at that point, and bits and pieces of his clothing remained. I let out a sob at the sight. He was just a child...

Carefully, I picked up the skeleton and laid it out on the floor. I then tried to piece together what had happened. Had he simply become stuck in there? No, there were several ways for him to escape that compartment. He must have tried to hide from the fire in there. I supposed that the smoke must have come through and suffocated him.

I sighed and patted the skull fondly. My poor young master died all alone, probably scared out of his wits and wishing for my protection. If only I had a way to make it up to him...

I sat there with him for a long while. It was horribly indecent but I laid the corpse across my lap and stroked his head and arms and chest. I suppose my loneliness drove me to where I did not care about boundaries. I craved physical contact of any sort desperately. Besides, it wasn't as if he could tell me to let go of him.

I decided to build him a coffin out of the salvageable wood I collected. It was fitting that my skeletal master should have a bed made of his home, I thought. It did not take me long to make. Ironically, at least to me, several pieces of wood were just the right size and shape to make the coffin. I even found some decent silk and velvet to line it with.

I laid him in the coffin with a bouquet of white roses that had been growing in the garden. I bowed to him one last time before I shut the lid. It occurred to me that I should bury it, but I could not bear the thought of parting with what was left of my young master. But it did not seem right to leave him in his ruined bedroom like this. I looked all around me and flexed my fingers.

Perhaps it was time to rebuild.

**XxxxxxX**

As time went on, it became more and more difficult to keep track of its passing. One moment it would be dawn, then in a blink of an eye it would be night. One moment it would be sunny, the next it would be raining. It would be spring, and then suddenly autumn. So really, I had no way of knowing how long it took me to rebuild the manor. I do know that it must have taken years. It would take an entire team of living men at least ten to build an estate like this. I guessed that it must have taken me three times as long. Then again, I was working on my project every second of every day.

I discovered that I had a wonderful ability to..._fix_ things. It was quite remarkable, really. I could hold a blackened piece of wood or a faded piece of fabric and concentrate on it, and then it would simply become as good as new. I was happy to have this ability, for now I could make a grand manor house instead of a shabby one. Besides, what sort of Phantomhive butler would I be if I could not recreate my master's home down to the last detail.

I stared with the first floor, of course. The layout of the manor was imprinted in my mind, so I easily remembered where every last pebble went. Even the rooms of the other servants, which I never paid that much attention to. But I made sure they were exactly as they should be. As annoying as my fellow servants were, I felt that I should honor their memories. I did save the kitchen for last, though. It did nothing but bring back unpleasant memories.

I must admit that working on the upper floor did sadden me at times. There were only a few books left for the library, but it made me smile when I realized they were some of the master's favorites. I paid extra attention to my master's room, of course. He deserved nothing but the best.

I must admit that I talked to him as if he was still living, sometimes. Whether it was out of loneliness or growing insanity, I'm not sure. But it was comforting to have a one-sided conversation with him. I even liked to pretend that he was answering me back.

"Good morning, young master. How did you sleep?" I would ask as I put down new carpet.

"Well enough," I imagined him answering. "Now get back to work."

"Yes, my lord," I would answer, as always.

They often went like that. I (we) would talk about everything from the weather, to flowers, to the prices of various teas, to our families, to whatever else came to mind. It really didn't seem long at all before the manor was finished. It was almost as if the fire never happened.

I even made a little room for my master to rest in. I was lucky enough to find a portrait of him that was fixable. I proudly hung it on on the freshly papered wall. I filled the room with little things I found that reminded me of my master. They mostly consisted of papers and books. But I was lucky enough to find his favored chessboard and a few pairs of his clothes. And, of course, my master himself. I covered the coffin with a cloth in an attempt to keep it preserved.

I went outside and stared at the manor. I smiled a bit, for I was feeling something akin to happiness. I was still a ghost who was forever trapped on the grounds, but at least I had a home again.

**XxxxxxxxX**

**A/N: Thanks to Raverlynn for betaing.**

**Please let me know that you think!**


	3. Familiar Faces

One thing I did not anticipate after the manor was rebuilt was intruders. Honestly, you would think that a house that had been ignored for so long would stay that way. I suppose I should have known that eventually somebody would notice an empty manor house.

The first time it happen, it was a summer evening. I had spent the day cleaning the manor, as usual. I must admit, I had come to dread cleaning the kitchen. It was a reminder that I had nobody to cook for. (Oh, how I missed cooking...)

I was in the pathetically stocked library when I heard the front door creak open. I almost dropped my feather duster in surprise.

"Who could that be?" I wondered aloud. "It isn't as if we were expecting any guests." I winced as I heard the bitterness of my own voice.

I quickly ventured downstairs to see who had invaded my home. To my surprise, it was a pair of youths. But not like any youths I had ever seen. The girl of the pair wore her long auburn hair loosely and wore very indecent clothing. Her shirt was comprised of many different colors in a spiral pattern. It almost hurt to look at. I had to avert my eyes when I saw her lower half. She dawned a pair of light blue shorts that stopped mid-thigh, and besides those her legs were bare. Her shoes, if they could even be called that, were comprised of a flat bottom and a strap between the toes. Did undergarments pass as suitable outer wear for ladies in the world of the living these days?

The boy was also dressed strangely. He wore his shaggy black hair long enough to cover his eyes. He wore a long blue shirt that was tucked into tight trousers that fanned out at the bottom. He looked around nervously.

"Rianna, I don't think we should be here," he stated. "I'm getting the weirdest vibes from this place."

"C'mon Chris, don't be such a 'fraidy cat!" the girl now known as Rianna answered. "You said you wanted to do something exciting, right? Well, what's more exciting than a haunted mansion?"

"I'm sorry, what?" Chris exclaimed. "Haunted?"

"Well, I don't know that for sure," the girl amended. "But it's a giant mansion that's been empty for over eighty years! How could there not be something special about it?"

My eyes widened at that. Eighty years had passed? I had long since lost track of time. It felt like I could have been dead for a second or a hundred years. Apparently, it was closer to the latter.

Rianna grabbed Chris's arm and made and tried to hug him forward. "Let's have a look around. There has to be some groovy stuff in here!"

"Fine," Chris sighed, defeated.

I decided to let them have a look around. I will admit that it was nice to have someone admiring my hard work. I followed them closely as they explored. Even though I was a spirit, it would be most unbecoming for me to leave the guests unattended.

"It's fuckin' freezing in here," Chris commented at one point while they were exploring the upper floor.

"Yeah, you're right," Rianna answered. "Maybe it's a good thing Delia didn't come. This probably would have made her cold worse."

"Yeah," Chris agreed. "Hey, I wonder what's in there?" He was pointed to the door where I kept my young master.

I tensed up a bit. But I quickly calmed myself. The door was firmly locked. I thought for sure that they would leave it when they discovered that fact.

"This damn door is locked," Chris announced. He began to obnoxiously pound on it.

"Ooh, maybe there's treasure inside!" Rianna cried. "We could get rich!"

That was where I drew the line. I could not abide a thief in my master's household. It was time to chase off these hooligans. Focusing my energy, I made the temperature drop ten degrees cooler.

"Hey, did it suddenly get colder in here?" Chris asked, a hint of fear in his voice. Good.

I smirked as I continued my plan. All of the doors in the hallway began to bang open and closed. As expected, the troublesome youths cried out in fear and quickly made for the door.

"Let's get out of here!" Rianna screamed. She didn't think that this place would actually be haunted!

I also made several candles blow in and out as they ran past. As the final note, I made an illusion that the chandelier in the front entrance almost crashed on them. It was best to make sure they didn't come back. If so, there would be...consequences.

I watched, bemused, from a window as they made their way off the property. I hoped they learned that they could never do anything against the house of Phantomhive without answering to its butler.

After they were gone, I mulled over their strange behavior and the year. If my estimations were right, it should be sometime in the late nineteen-sixties or early nineteen-seventies. I wondered how much longer I would spend alone in this house.

**XxxxxxX**

Unfortunately, they weren't the last uninvited guest to come by. I'm not sure how long had passed, but the man who came was very different from the youths. I watched from a window as he came up to the manor in an odd sort of carriage. It took me a moment to recognize it as some sort of automobile.

Out of it stepped a man with white hair who was wearing an equally white suit. In his hands he held a clipboard and what looked like a pen. He spent a few long moments observing the outside of the manor, occasionally writing something down on the clipboard. I tilted my head a bit in confusion. How could he write with no ink?

He continued to walk around the grounds, examining everything he came across. By the time he actually entered the manor, he had a pleased smile on his face. I followed him as he wandered around, continuing to write things on his clipboard. The sun was beginning to set by the time he finished his examination. By this point, confusion had worked its way onto his face.

"I don't get it," he muttered as he made his way outside. "How could a house that's been abandoned for so long be in such good condition?"

I continued to watch as he drove away. What on earth was all that about?

**XxxxxX**

It wasn't very long before the man returned, this time with company. With him was a tall man with blue hair who was wearing a simple brown suit. Something about him stirred my memory. He looked...familiar. But where had I seen him before? The man in white eagerly showed his guest inside.

"Well, Mr. Landers, you weren't lying when you said this place was in good shape!" the blue haired man exclaimed. He looked around admirably.

"I know, Mr. Phantomhive," the man, Landers, replied. "What do you say we look around? I'm sure you'll find that this will be a suitable home for your family."

I froze upon hearing those words. _Phantomhive?_ This man was of relation to the young master? I supposed that was why he looked familiar. He certainly had the same hair as him.

Once again, I followed the men as they made their way through the manor. The Phantomhive man seemed to be very impressed with what he saw.

"You said that this house was over a hundred years old, right?" he asked Mr. Landers at one point. "Does that mean that it isn't equipped with electricity and plumbing?"

"No, it isn't," Landers admitted. "But we can easily have those installed. I know a great team of people who are excellent at restoring old houses. If you want, you can move in about two months."

"That would be great," Phantomhive stated. "My poor wife's doctor says that she could really use some country air. I'm sure this would be the perfect place for her. And I'm sure my son would love it here, too."

"I'm sure he would," Landers agreed with a smile. "Now, would you mind heading back to the office with me? We have some paper work to look over."

"Yes, of course," Phantomhive agreed before they left together.

My thoughts were beginning to move rapidly. It was hard to comprehend the fact that there were going to be people moving into the manor. Of course, if they were Phantomhives, then they had every right to be here. I must admit that I was worrying about myself. How could I be useful to them as a ghost? What if they already had a butler, anyway? And did I even want to serve someone who wasn't the young master?

It seemed I had no choice, though. In a matter of months, this manor would have living occupants for the first time in over a century.

**XxxxxxX**

It was both fascinating and stressful to watch the workmen "improve" the manor. I always winced when they tore the walls so they could install either some sort of wiring or pipe. I only managed to calm myself when they repaired the damage they caused. I rather liked the light fixtures they installed. A room could be lit up with a simple flick of a switch. It seemed much easier than having to light candles.

As predicted, the new owners of the manor arrived in a couple of months. A vehicle I did not recognize drove up to the manor, closely followed by Mr. Lander's automobile and another shockingly huge one.

I recognized Phantomhive as he climbed out as the first vehicle. He was quickly followed by what I assume to be his wife and son. Time seemed to stand still as I laid eyes upon the boy.

_It was the young master!_

I quickly corrected myself. This couldn't possibly be my master, who died so long ago. But the boy seemed to be the mirror image of my master, with the exception of this boy having both eyes. I moved away from the window I was watching from and quickly went downstairs. I had to see more of this boy.

As the boy came up to the front door, I opened it for him. It was a butler's job to open the door to his master and guests, was it not. I momentarily paused. Was I already thinking of the boy as my new master?

He seemed confused when the door seemingly opened by itself, but he chose to ignore it. He shivered upon stepping inside. It must have been my presence. It seemed as though I was going to have to find a way to control that. It wouldn't do to have him catch cold.

It seemed as though I was making a habit of following people as they wandered through the manor. But I had to keep an eye on all the house's inhabitants at all times, or so I told myself. I was happy to see that the boy appeared pleased with his new home. I suppressed a giggle as I watched him childishly rummage through everything he could get his small hands on.

My eyes widened suddenly when he came to the young master's room. It had been marked so he could find it, so I supposed it was now his room. How fitting, that my new master should reside where my previous one did.

I once again opened the door for him. After years of solitude, I was eager to serve in any way I could. I could not keep a smirk off my face as I watched him become more confused and frustrated as I opened every door for him. Like my previous master, he was rather adorable when he was annoyed.

It was very unbecoming of me, but I decided to give him a bit of a scare in the bathroom. As he looked in the mirror, I made myself visible for just a moment. He gasped and turned to face the already invisible me.

"I must be seeing things," he muttered as he left the room to go downstairs. "There's no such thing as ghosts."

Ah, so he didn't believe in spirits? That was something that would soon change. I had a feeling that I was going to enjoy serving this new master very much.

**XxxxxX**

**A/N: Thanks to Raverlynn for beta-ing. I hope you enjoyed your cameo in the beginning. :)**

**I think one day I'm going to write a story where Sebastian fights hippies. Yeah.**

**Please let me know what you think!**


	4. Meeting

**A/N: Thanks to all who read and reviewed and such.**

**XxxxxX**

I must admit, I always found the concept of reincarnation fascinating. Of course, I never actually believed in it, But I did have a soft spot for stories of someone dying and then being born again, in another body and time. But now I was wondering if perhaps those stories had some stock to them, after all.

A part of me argued that I was being ridiculous. That this boy could not possibly be my young master's reincarnation. But...I _wanted_ to believe that he was. When I looked at him, all I could see was my master. And the more I watched him, the more I was right.

He had all of the same mannerisms and speech patterns as my young master. They held themselves the same way and had the same mature air about them. They absentmindedly played with their fingers the same way. They never really smiled, but their eyes would light up the same way when something amused them. (I believe I may have made him uncomfortable with my close scrutiny. I made a note to apologize later.)

The final thing that convinced me happened when the house's new occupants were having dinner. It was odd for me to not have had any part in making their meal, and that there was more than one person seated at the table. But it happened when his very name was mentioned.

"So, Ciel, what do you think of the place?" his father asked him eagerly. My eyes widened in shock. The boy's name was _Ciel_? I chuckled to myself. Really, what were the odds? This boy _had_ to be my young master!

"It's very...big," he replied. "And yet, it already feels like home." I beamed at this. Of course the young master felt at home. He _was_ home.

"That's wonderful!" his mother cried. "Tell us, how did you like your room?"

He obviously forced a smile and replied "It's like there are a bunch of different rooms in one. It's more than I know what to do with." Odd, I thought. Shouldn't he be used to this sort of splendor?

"It's the biggest bedroom in the house," his father informed him. "It belonged to the last Ciel who lived here." I smiled again. Of course the young master should have his room back. It was only fitting.

"Don't you think it's rather cold in here?" the young master suddenly asked. Oh, dear. I was really going to have to work on that.

"It's cooler than outside," his father commented.

"I don't feel cold at all," his mother said. She looked at him worriedly. "Are you feeling alright, darling?"

I hoped not. It wouldn't do for him to become sick so soon after returning. I wasn't sure I would be able to take adequate care of him in this...condition.

"Actually, mum, I'm feeling kind of tired," he answered as he rose from his chair. "I think I'm going to head off to bed."

"Oh, are you getting sick, darling?" she asked, looking concerned.

"No, it's just been a long day," he replied.

Good, I thought. He was cranky when he was ill. They bid each other goodnight before he left to go upstairs. I eagerly followed him. It had been a long while since I prepared him for bed.

**XxxxxX**

I assumed that he would want a bath before bed, so I went ahead of him to fill the tub. It took me a moment to figure out how to use the new knobs on it. Luckily, they were labeled hot and cold. I turned the one that was 'hot' and watched as a stream of water came out of the faucet. This was much more efficient than that water heater we had.

The tub had just become filled when the young master entered, letting out a tired yawn as he walked in. He seem surprised to see the tub already filled. Did his servants not do this simple task for him?

"Did the faucet leak or something?" he asked himself. I was going top have to reveal myself soon. This being invisible was becoming tiresome. And not to sound arrogant, but I was sure he would be happy to see me again.

I flinched as he grimaced at the water's temperature. It must have been too hot. I would hate if he had to wait for it to cool down. Thankfully, he merely added cool water and got in. I found it odd that nobody came to assist him. Perhaps he was going through some independence phase? I would need to have a talk with him. It was most unbecoming for a gentlemen of his stature to do such menial tasks by himself.

I went over to fetch some towels and a robe for him. I could do that much, at least. I put them on a small table and carried them back to the young master. To my surprise, I realized that he had fallen asleep in the tub. Really, now. It was like he was wanting to die again.

I put down the table with more force than necessary. The noise it made had the desired effect, for he instantly woke up. He then got out and began to dry himself off. While he was doing that, I went to fetch a pair of his night ware and pull back his blankets for him. I returned just in time to get the door for him. I then followed him back to his bedroom. He seemed confused to see his night ware already laid out.

"Mum must have done this," he murmured. His mother? I supposed that would be a motherly thing to do, but it was no duty for a lady.

I could not help but assist him as he dressed himself. He always did have trouble with buttons. As he climbed into bed, I tried to tuck him in, but then he suddenly lashed out.

"That does it, who's there," he demanded. "Show yourself!"

I was more than glad to obey his order. It was a simple task to make myself visible. And I must say, the look of shock on his face was quite amusing.

"You called, my lord?" I asked. It was so nice to say those words again...

"W-who are you?" he demanded. "And where did you come from?"

I was shocked at this. "Young master, what do you mean?" I asked. "I know that you have been gone from the manor for some time, but to have forgotten me completely? Are you feeling alright?" Perhaps he really was ill.

"I'm perfectly fine!" he snapped. "Now answer my questions!"

He was as demanding as always. "Of course, young master, forgive me," I answered. "My name is Sebastian Michaelis, and I am the butler of this estate. I have been here for quite some time."

"How long?" he asked. "The real estate agent told us that this place hasn't been occupied for years!"

"Well, by nobody that they could see," I chuckled. It felt...empowering to make yourself invisible to the living and manipulate them.

"Are you saying that you're some sort of- of- bloody _ghost_?" he asked, looking aghast. It seemed that he still did not a believer in the spiritual realm. I was loathe to prove him wrong, but I refused to hide myself in the shadows.

"Well, yes, young master, I am," I said with a small smile. It was odd how easy that was to admit. I must have truly grown used to this predicament of mine. "I have waited many years for your return."

"My _return_?" he asked. "What are you talking about? I've never been here before today!"

Oh, dear. I hoped he would listen to what I had come to believe. "Perhaps not in this life," I explained. "But in your previous one, you lived here all your life. After you perished in the fire – along with me and the rest of the servants-, I was sure that I was never going to see you again, but here you are now. Though I must say that it was rather naughty of you to wait so long to return. It's rather rude to keep people waiting, you know." It never hurt to scold him a bit. He was still a child, after all.

"Are you saying that I'm some sort of reincarnation of your past master?" he asked incredulously. That's the most preposterous thing I've ever heard in my life!"

Hm. It seemed that he wasn't going to listen. How troubling. I gave him the smile I always gave when he was obviously wrong about something but didn't want to admit it. "Of course, sir," I said soothingly. "Even so, I look forward to resuming my duties as your butler." He had no idea how much I did. After all these years, I could serve the master I'd dedicated my entire existence to once again.

He had reached his point for the night, for he told me to leave the room. I bowed and went into the next room. I doubted anyone would attack the manor tonight, but with the Phantomhive family one could never be too sure.

I smiled as I thought over our first encounter in over a century. Yes, this little master was going to be very fun to serve.

**XxxxxX**

**A/N: Thanks to Raverlynn for beta-ing. **


	5. Tour

**A/n: Thanks to everyone who's reading this. This chapter is unbeta'd do to technical difficulties.**

**XxxxxX**

For the first time in a long time, I had a smile on my face as I entered the kitchen. I was going to make my young master breakfast for the first time in over a century.

His parents had already left the residence over an hour ago. From the way they talked, it seemed as though they would not be returning anytime soon. This made me happy. I would be able to spend all day with my young master, then.

I decided I would make him his favorite strawberry scones, first of all. After those were in the oven, I began to search for tea. (They organized their kitchen completely different from how I used to.) Unfortunately, the only thing I could find was Irish breakfast tea. Why nobles such as the Phantomhives would even bother purchasing this, I don't know. Perhaps the young master's parents had a certain liking for it?

I then rummaged through their odd looking ice box, searching for inspiration. I wanted to make a good impression, after all. I finally came to a decision when I saw flour and a bag of oranges next together. I had only made crepes Suzette a few times before, but the young master always seemed to enjoy it.

It took but a minute or two to learn how to use the new oven. Before too long, I had breakfast complete and loaded onto the cart. I deposited the food onto the dining table before continuing to my lord's room. I smiled at the sight of him sleeping peacefully. It was something I never thought I would see again. I almost did not want to wake him, but it best to start the day as soon as possible.

Leaving the cart by his bed, I went to fetch a pair of his clothing. I'm afraid it took a bit of time to find something presentable. He had many plain shirts and trousers made of denim, of all things. I finally selected a blue button-up shirt a pair of the denim trousers. His shoes were also odd. They were blue and black in color, and had a very small heels. Perhaps this master wasn't trying to improve his height.

I opened the curtains after I returned to the bedroom. If I had a physical body, I might have winced at the sudden flood of light that came into the room.

"Good morning, young master!" I called. I was usually not so loud. It was a side effect of my good mood, I suppose.

I had to resist the urge to laugh as he sat up in shock. Perhaps he thought I was a mere dream? And I must admit, it was always amusing to see him flustered.

"W-What the hell are you doing?" he demanded in an unsteady voice.

I raised a brow at that. I thought it was quite obvious that I had come to prepare him for the day. Hm, maybe he required a few moments to come to full awareness.

"My lord, I am here to help you prepare for the day," I answered, being sure to speak slowly. "It is already past nine o'clock. You don't want to miss breakfast, do you?"

"For your information, I usually sleep till at least noon on the weekends," he growled. "And I thought I told you to go away!"

Sleeping until noon? How lazy of him. I would have to break him of that habit.

"That was last night," I said as I began to pour the tea. I must admit that I did have a habit of purposefully finding loopholes in my master's orders. I had to keep him sharp. "Today, I have prepared, ahem, Irish breakfast tea. Your family's selection is unfortunately lacking at the moment, but I prepared this the best I could. I hope it is to your liking." I then offered him the delicate cup.

He stared at it like I was offering him something unsavory. "How the devil did you prepare this?" he asked. "I thought you were a bloody _spirit_!"

Ah. I suppose that would seem confusing. "Indeed I am, young master, but I'm quite talented at manipulating objects," I replied. _Quite_ talented. "Rest assured, I shall be able to serve you with ease." And I would do everything in my power to do so. I held out the cup again.

He slowly took it from he and took a small sip. His eyes widened in surprise in delight. I couldn't help but smirk at that. It seemed I still had my touch.

"I trust you like it, my lord?" I asked in a teasing tone.

As expected, he gave me a sharp look. I was surprised at how much I had missed those.

"Another thing, why do you keep referring to me as 'your lord'? I am not of nobility," he stated.

That shocked me still. True, the Phantomhives were not very high on the peerage rank, but to deny their nobility all together? What was happening here?

"You _are_ of the Phantomhive family, yes?" I asked.

"Yes, I am," he answered. "But although we are wealthy, my family has not been considered nobility for many years."

I could feel my high spirits slowly lowering. "How many years, if you don't mind my asking?" I asked. I felt as though I already knew the answer.

"Ever since the 1880's," he replied. "Since this very house...burned down."

I couldn't help the feeling of sadness that overcame me. I would not have been surprised if my previous master's blood was actually blue. And now his family had been stripped of their title. The young master sometime thought that the queen was against him. He must have been right. But, no matter. This boy still had the blood of nobles in his veins, and he acted the part well.

"Well, no matter what, I will always consider you of high blood, _my lord_," I told him. I wanted him to know that I still respected his position. "You even act as though that were the case."

He obviously did not know how to respond to that. He merely grumbled and placed the cup back on the cart.

I carefully lifted the outfit I had brought him. I hoped that he would hold still this time. "Now, my lord, shall we dress you?" I asked. I reached to take off the his shirt.

To my surprise, he moved away from me. "Hey!" he cried. "What do you think you're doing?"

Even if he did not yet trust me, this was an average duty for a servant such as myself. I needed to quickly get him to his breakfast. He was obviously disoriented in the mornings.

"I am trying to dress you," I explained slowly. "But first we must remove the clothes you are already wearing."

"I am perfectly capable of dressing myself!" he exclaimed indignantly.

I had to suppress the urge to laugh aloud at that. Just like his ancestor, this boy seemed completely incapable of taking care of himself. The one time his predecessor tried to dress himself, he ended up with all the buttons on his shirt wrong and his trousers were on backwards.

_Fine_, I thought. _Let the child indulge himself. _"Alright then, if you insist," I said as I handed him the bundle.

He huffed and began to remove his top. "Feel free to turn your back!" he snapped at me.

I chuckled and did as I was told. "Please hurry, young master," I said. "I would hate for your breakfast to get cold."

I could not wait for the rest of the day to start.

**XxxxxxX**

It was remarkable how easy this child was to irritate. He scowled when I told him I had prepared him breakfast. He scowled when I followed him to the table. He scowled when I pulled the chair out for him and tied a napkin around his neck. And he scowled when he ate his food, even though I could tell he was enjoying it. Ah, yes, this young master would most definitely be fun to serve.

"Are you finished, sir?" I asked when he set his cutlery down.

"Yes, I am. And, um, thank you," he added.

I was both surprised and happy to hear that. In all my time as a servant, no one had ever thanked me for anything, especially not my young master. I was merely doing my job. "No need to thank me, my lord," I said. "I am merely doing my duty as your servant. Now, I shall take those dishes back to the kitchen. I shall return soon."

I placed the dishes on a tray and quickly went into the kitchen. This ability to go to room-to- room quickly was very convenient. It took me less than a minute to clean the dishes and put them away.

I believe I surprised my master when I appeared by his side. He visibly jumped and almost knocked his chair over. "Ah! You're back already?" he asked, sounding shocked.

I smirked and held a finger to his lips. "What sort of butler would I be if I couldn't go to the kitchen and return to my master's side in less than a minute?" That gesture and phrase were a bit of a...trademark of mine.

"Uh, right," he said. My, my. Such crude language. Another habit I shall have to rid him of.

"Now, young master, did you have any plans for the day?" I asked. I cared not what he answered. I would be able to resume my duties no matter what his plans were.

"Well, I was planning on exploring the house and grounds more throughly," he revealed.

Most excellent. I had been wanting to acquaintance him with his home. "Very good, sir," I said. "With your permission, I shall give you a tour. I think you might be quite interested in this house's history."

"Hm, alright," he responded.

I couldn't help but smile. This day was turning out quite well so far.

**XxxxxxX**

I spent the next several hours showing him the house. I told him about everything I knew, from the tiles on the roof to where the wallpaper came from. I especially talked of my previous master. I believe that irked my new master a bit. But if my theory was correct, and they were indeed the same person, than I doing him a favor. Perhaps he would remember something from the past if I spoke of it enough.

I made sure to show him all of my first young master's favorite rooms. Such as the game room, the ballroom, and the library. It was as we were in there that he asked me a question.

"Sebastian," he said. "Who exactly rebuilt this manor? Why would they even bother?"

I really should have been expecting that question. I don't believe Mr. Landers ever told them who did. "_I_ rebuilt it, young master," I answered. I couldn't keep the pride out of my voice. It was quite an accomplishment, if I do say so myself.

"_You_ did?" he asked incredulously. "How is that even possible? You're not even alive!"

How very blunt. But I supposed that would be any rational person's reaction. "Oh, it did take quite a bit of time," I said. A bit of an understatement, there "But I simply couldn't allow my master's house to stay in such a horrid state. And if I hadn't, you would not be here now, would you?"

"I suppose not," he said quietly.

Then, to my horror, he noticed the door to the room where I kept my previous master's remains. I couldn't let him see that just yet. It would most likely unnerve him. Normal homes did not have long deceased residents entombed in its rooms.

"Oh my, look at the time!" I exclaimed in an attempt to distract him. "It is already time for afternoon tea. I'm afraid we've missed your lunch, young master. Please forgive me for this grievous error."

"It's alright," he said. "I didn't feel hungry, anyway."

I almost sighed in relief. He took the bait. It _was_ past luncheon hour, though. I would have to endeavor to be more punctual. "Even so, let's prepare that tea," I pushed. "I'm afraid that we won't have time to tour the grounds today. I hope that young master is not too disappointed?"

"No, we can do it some other time," he responded.

My mouth twitched a bit. Some other time, eh? I knew that when his curiosity was peaked, the young master would stop at nothing to find out what he wanted. I knew that I would have to show him the room sometime soon.

But for now, I would make him afternoon tea and pretend that everything was normal.

**XxxxxxX**

**A/N: Next chapter should definitely be better. You know, I've had "Heat Of The Moment" stuck in my head all day. I almost typed " I finally came to a decision when I saw flour telling me what your heart meant" at one point. Yeah.**

**Please tell me what you think of the story!**


	6. Order

**A/N: Sorry this took so long. I just haven't been in a writing mood. :(**

**XxxxxX**

When I was alive, I did not sleep much.

As a butler, there is always something to be done. More so for I, since I was the only capable servant in the house. Every night, after I put the young master to bed, I would inspect the manor one last time, making sure it was clear of everything from burglars to dust mites to mice. I would then spend a few hours guarding the young master's room. That way I could make sure no one came through his door and I could hear if someone came in through a window. I would reluctantly retire to my bed at two in the morning. I did require some rest, after all.

But now, I could guard his room all night. It was funny, how being dead actually made protecting the young master easier.

I was at my post at his door early one morning, like usual, when I was startled by this odd, screeching sound coming from inside the room. I quickly went inside. Was my master in danger? Was someone, or something, attacking him? But to my confusion, he was getting out of bed, looking completely unharmed.

"Young master?" I asked, concerned. What was going on?

"What is it?" he asked as he climbed out of bed. He did not seem worried or panicked at all.

"What on earth was that loud noise?" I demanded. "And why are you getting out of bed so early? Is something wrong?" I certainly did not hear anyone come in...

To my surprise, he gave me a soft smile. "No, I'm fine Sebastian," he said. "That noise was my wake-up call. It's time for me to get ready for school."

"School?" I echoed. "Why are you going there? And why so early?"

"Did they not have schools in the 1800's?" he asked as he started to walk toward the bathroom. I noticed that he stumbled a bit as he walked, most likely still sleepy. Though he never seemed too tired to show me some cheek.

"Well, yes," I answered "but the upper classes usually went to boarding schools. This seems a rather odd time to go."

"I go to public school," he explained. "That means I go Monday through Friday for about seven hours. I usually get home around four in the evening."

"I see," I said. This seemed like a very odd system. At least he would be back in time for afternoon tea. "You have a bit of a way to travel though, don't you?" The closest school was mostly likely in London.

"It's not that bad," he said. I must say, this new master complained far less than my previous one. I decided to run a lukewarm bath for him. He had to look presentable if he was going to be in public. "Wouldn't it be easier to obtain a tutor?"

"Maybe if I was a total recluse," he replied. Oh, so he wasn't? That seemed surprising. "School's one of the only times I leave home. I'm not that much for crowds. Why do you bring it up?"

"It's just that my previous master always hired tutors," I explained. "In fact, I would often teach him myself." I felt pride swell up in me at the memories. I thought I was rather good at teaching the young master.

"Really?" he asked. "And he was actually able to put up with you enough to allow that?" Ah, yes. He definitely had cheek.

"Yes," I replied, hiding my annoyance "and I did a better job than his tutors did anyway, I might add."

"Hn," was all he replied with. How rude. He then started to take off his shirt.

"Does the young master require my assistance with bathing?" I asked. He did not seem to need it before, but maybe he required it now, since he was still tired.

"Of course not!" he snapped. "Go make me breakfast or something."

I repressed a smile at his temper. "Yes, my lord," I said.

I then went to the kitchen to fulfill my order. As I cooked, I thought about our conversation. It seemed as though my tutoring skills would not be needed. A pity, that was. I had particularly missed that duty. It was always amusing to see my proud master have to struggle at anything. He always used to complain that most of his lessons were pointless, which was just a way of masking his frustration when he had troubles with them.

I sighed at the memories. Despite how hard I tried, I could not stop hoping that things would go back to the way things were before. I expected the boy to simply become my old master. And even though they were very similar, it just was not the same.

What had being here for so long done to me, that I would fixate over such a trivial matter? I had a master. I had a purpose again. I was in no position to complain.

I could not seem to shake this mindset, even as I rejoined my master and served him his morning meal. As much as I did not want him to leave, I understood that he was needed elsewhere. Or that is what I told myself, at least. As the Phantomhive family left, I knew that I was going to face a long day.

**XxxxxX**

It was...rather difficult to have the house empty again. The young master was off at his school and his parents were in town, too, I assumed. I found myself wandering the halls, as I had so often over the years. I thought that it would be easy to go back to the habit, but it wasn't. Now that I had a taste of "life", one might say, again, I was eager for more. I was no longer content to simply wander the manor and clean. I wanted my master back here where I could serve and protect him.

The longing eventually brought me back to my previous master's room. Unable to resist the urge, I rapped the door with my knuckles twice before entering. I winced when I saw the dust covering the furnishings. I had not stepped foot in here since the manor was being - what was the word the workmen used? - "updated". I quickly procured a duster and began to get rid of the dust. It was rather shameful that I let my master's room become so dusty. If he were still alive he would have surely perished of an asthma attack by now.

I hesitated when I came to the covered coffin. I did not want to remove the cloth, but it would have been disrespectful to not shake the dust off. I also needed to make sure the coffin was still in good condition.

It's age was certainly starting to show. The parts that were not burnt were starting to darken and break off. But it was not entirely dilapidated yet. I would not have to build a new one for a few more years. Hopefully with better materials this time.

I simple looked at it for a few long moments. Then, very slowly, I opened the lid. The fabric inside had yellowed with age, but it was still fulfilling its purpose. My eyes slowly drifted to my master's remains. They had not changed at all, really. Although the suit I had dressed him was showing its years.

I sighed and ran a hand fondly over the dry skull. After all this time, it still hurt me to see him like this. He should have been buried near his parents in the family cemetery.

A dull shine caught my eye. I observed that it was coming from the blue diamond ring on my master's thumb. It had become a bit tarnished and dull, but it wasn't anything I couldn't fix. I gently grasped it between two fingers with the intent of removing it, but something stopped me.

I heard a faint whisper from somewhere close to me. "_Sebastian..."_

I quickly looked around the room, searching for whoever addressed me. "Who is there?" I demanded.

"_Sebastian, are you listening to me?"_ The voice was stronger now, and sounded impatient.

I looked back down to the skeleton and the ring I was touching. "Y-Young master? Is that you?" I whispered.

"_Yes, you idiot,"_ the voice answered. _"And it's about bloody time you found me here."_

"Have you been here this entire time, my lord?" I asked quietly. How could he have been here without my knowing? Surely we would have crossed paths over the course of a century! But wait...perhaps... "Are you...in the ring, young master?"

"_I...believe so,"_ he answered. _"At least, I think it's only a small piece of me."_

"Have you been...aware this entire time?" I asked. It would have been horrible if I had left him in a coffin all these years.

"_Sometimes," _he answered. "_It's hard to stay conscious. All I remember since the fire is you rebuilding the manor and my apparent relatives moving in."_

"Are you satisfied with them living here?" I asked. It would be a shame if I had to chase out my new master. I was already becoming attached to him.

"_No,"_ he answered. _"I'm glad that there are Phantomhives living here again. But enough about that. How are you going to get me out of here?"_

"Get you out?" I echoed. "How on earth are we going to do that?"

"_I'm sure you'll figure something out,"_ he said. Leave it to him to assume I would think of a solution easily. _"Wait, I have an idea!"_

"What is it, my lord?" I asked.

"_You recall all those nonsense stories about ghosts possessing people that Mey-Rin enjoyed, yes?" _he said. _"Well, what if they were true?"_

"Young master, you want to try and _possess_ a person?" I asked incredulously. This whole situation was ridiculous. My master was a ghost that wanted to possess a living body. How preposterous. I almost burst out laughing at the notion.

"_Ah, I don't know how much longer I can stay awake,"_ he suddenly groaned. _"Sebastian, this is an order: get someone to wear my ring so I can enter their body."_

And with that, it became silent again.

"Young master?" I called. "Young master?"

But alas, I was alone again. The young master's spirit must be much more weaker than mine. It if even was his whole spirit, that is.

I was now facing an issue. I had to find a body for my young master to possess. Of course, my thoughts first drifted to my new master. But, I was hesitant to use him. He was already very much like the young master, but different in some ways. He was much more independent, obviously. And I suppose that was exactly why I decided to use him. A butler cannot have a master who does not require his services, can he? It was only a matter of time before the boy asked to come see to this room again. I would then fulfill my order.

I was brought out of my musings by the sound of someone approaching the manor. Assuming it must be my new master, I went to the door to greet him. But to my surprise, he had two other boys with him. I supposed they were his acquaintances. Maybe even his friends. But just to be safe, I held the door shut from the inside. One boy was blond, and the other seemed to be of Indian descent.

"Holy crap, this place is huge!" the Indian one cried. He didn't strike me as particularly intelligent.

"Yes, it is. And make sure you guys don't brake anything," I heard the young master warn. It was good to know he was protective of his home.

"Yeah, yeah," the blond one said as he tugged on the door handle. How rude of him. He certainly did not have to compliment the manor, but it was not acceptable for him to be rude. "Hey Ciel, is this thing locked or something?" So, they were close enough to use each other's given name?

When the young master reach for the door, I let it open. He turned to smirk at his companion. "You know, Alois, they say that in order to open a door, you must first be smarter than the door," he smirked. I was also amused at the quib.

"Shut up, you ass!" the blond retorted as he stormed inside. That made the small smile disappear from my face. How dare he disrespect my master in his own home? It only became worse as the young master showed them around the manor. I expected my lord to snap at any moment. Being a good host was mandatory, of course, but he did not have to tolerate this.

I managed to catch his eye and beckoned him to my side.

"What is it?" he asked me.

"Young master, who are those two?" I asked. I wanted permission to toss them out.

"They're my friends," he said wearily. "They insisted upon seeing the manor today."

"Even if they are your guests, they seem to be bothering you," I stated. I decided not to mention that they were also annoying me.

"Yes, they do that," he said. "I should probably go before they brake something." He then went back to his guests. He called those vagrants "friends"? They were completely unsuited to be in my master's company! And would they really brake something? I followed them to make sure they wouldn't.

"I think it just got colder in here," I heard the Indian one say. He looked about him as if to spot me. "H-hey Ciel, t-there's no way t-this place could be h-haunted, right?"

"Of course not," the young master replied. If it weren't for the fact that my lord would become angry, I would give these boys a bit of a scare. Especially the blond one.

"Who the hell'd want to haunt Ciel?" that damned brat said. That was the final straw. There was only so much disrespect to the Phantomhive family that I could tolerate. I decided to teach the boy a lesson. So I stepped behind him and pushed him down the staircase. His leg made a wonderful snapping sound as it broke, and his agonized screams were like music to my ears.

I do hope this taught him a lesson.

**XxxxxxX**

**A/N: Thanks for reading! And thanks to Raverlynn for betaing.**

**Also, I've been wondering if I should change the genre of this and A Butler Needs A Master from "horror" to "supernatural". I'm just not sure if they're scary or gruesome enough to be counted as horror. What do you guys think?**


	7. The Ring

**A/N: I combined chapters 5 and 6 of ABNAM since chp. 5 was kinda short. I have _no idea_ why the bottom half came out bold. I'm trying to fix it.**

**XxxxxxX**

After they called some physicians to take the boy away, my young master became very quiet. I assumed that he was upset that a guest had become injured on his property.

I wanted to speak to him, but I knew it was best to leave him be until he called for me. I remained close by, but invisible. I watched him with worry as he barely touched his evening meal and spoke quietly to his parents before announcing that he was retiring for the night.

I eagerly followed him to his bedroom. I was eager to explain my actions. Surely he would be understanding when he learned I was defending his dignity.

I waited until he sat wearily on his bed and called for me before I appeared.

"Yes, my lord?" I said with a bow. "What is it you need?"

To my surprise, he did not speak, but instead opened and closed with mouth a few times , resembling a fish. How odd. It wasn't like him to hesitate.

"Is the young master still hungry?" I pressed. Maybe his hunger was bothering him. "I noticed that you did not eat much of your dinner. How about I make you some hot milk?"

He only nodded in reply. How worrisome. This was not like my demanding master at all.

I admit I may have sneaked a little something into his milk as I heated it. As I was cleaning earlier, I came upon a bottle of tablets that promised to help a person sleep. The young master always had trouble sleeping when he was upset, so I thought it was best he had some assistance. I crushed one into a fine powder and added it to the warm milk before transferring it to a pot. I then took that and some honey to my waiting master.

He was still sitting in the same spot. I silently poured the milk into a delicate cup and handed it and the honey to him.

"Thank you," he murmured quietly. Well, at least he was speaking now. I watched as he quickly drank it. It must have helped his nerves, for he then turned to me with a determined look in his eye.

"Sebastian, I want to talk about what happened to Alois earlier," he stated.

I could not help but flinch a little. He did not sound pleased. "Yes, sir, what about it?" I asked, keeping my voice calm.

"I'm going to ask flat out," he said with determination. "Did you cause him to fall down the stairs?"

"Yes, I did," I responded. Is that what this was all about?

"What?" he gasped. Had he been expecting a different answer? "Why would you do that? You could have killed him!"

I was surprised at how angry he sounded. I wondered why he seemed so concerned for that boy. "But, my lord, he and that other boy were bothering you,"I reminded him. "I cannot have people coming into my master's home and blatantly insult him. I normally wouldn't interfere, but you weren't making any move to defend yourself. I decided to teach them what happens to those who insult the Phantomhive name."

"You're insane!" my master snapped. "We always talk to each other like that! If it was really bothering me, I would have given them a piece of my mind! You presume far too much!"

I couldn't help but smile at that. I was always happy to see him reverting back to his old self. "It is good to see that you have not changed too much over the years, young master," I said fondly. But I quickly realized that was the wrong thing to say.

He stared at me with something again to shock before he began to scowl at me. I instantly felt unworthy to be in his presence. Evidently, he thought so, too. "Get out!" he demanded. "I don't want to see you in the mornings or any other time of day. Leave my sight permanently."

I took a step back in shock. I could not believe what I was hearing. I finally had my master back, and he was ordering me to leave? After all I did for him? I wanted to protest, but one look from those cold blue eyes silenced me.

I could do nothing but utter my acceptance and leave.

**XxxxxxX**

I never thought that anything would be worse than the years I spent alone in this manor. I became accustomed to loneliness, overtime. But it seems I was wrong. Having a master in the house, but being unable to come in contact him was excruciating. Once again, I was a butler without a master to serve.

Like my previous master, I suspected it would take him a while to calm down. So, as ordered, I stayed out of his sight for the rest of the week. It was, admittedly, a bit painful to watch him go about his days without any assistance from me. It made me feel worthless. I felt like a true spirit, haunting a now occupied house but remaining hidden. I do have to say, though, it did give me some satisfaction to see that he was considerably slower in his tasks when he did them alone.

I couldn't help but keep searching for some sign that he needed me for something or that he was going to call me, but that never happened. As the week progresses, I felt more and more anxiety. I cursed myself for my rash actions toward the boy I harmed. Of course I should have asked my master before I acted!

I finally could not stand it anymore and appeared before my master one afternoon. He had slept half the day, and I hoped that he would be well rested enough to be in a good mood.

"What is it, Sebastian?" he sighed. I almost flinched at his tone. He sounded annoyed.

I bowed low before him. "My lord, I want to apologize," I said. "I acted quite atrociously toward your guest. You are right, I should never have acted without permission. From now on, I shall only act on your orders. Please allow me to continue serving you. I promise that I'll be your faithful dog."

He looked at me closely for a few moments before answering. "Fine, but I want no more incidents like what happened on Monday," he said sternly.

My heart leapt for joy at those words. He was going to give me a second chance! Somehow, this master taking me back seemed more special than if my previous one did it. I doubted my old master would be this forgiving. He most likely would have slapped me a few times by now.

"Of course," I replied eagerly. "Now, I have prepared for you a light lunch. If you wish, I can show you the grounds after you have eaten."

"Sounds good," he relied.

I smiled. I was afraid that my efforts were going to be thrown back in my face. After he had dressed himself and ate his lunch of bagels and lox and apple cake, we set off outside for a long overdue tour of the grounds.

After wandering the immense lawn for a bit, we came upon the old, dilapidated stables. It was once a good-sized building of oak wood that could hold up to twelve horses. My young master's riding horse was a large black stallion named Henry. It had made an excellent hunting horse, as I recall. But all of the horses had long since perished. The stable itself was falling apart, and I could spy several birds' nest inside. I could see the young master quickly losing interest in the stables, so we moved on to the garden.

Although some of the plants had managed to regrow themselves, a good portion of our once grand gardens remained dead. "The gardens were once very grand," I informed my master. "Though I must say, that was mostly my doing. Our gardener unfortunately didn't know his own strength. He was also an idiot. In fact, all of the servants were incompetent."

"If they were so bad, why were they working here?" my lord asked as he examined a long dead rose bush.

"They were mainly hired to protect the manor from intruders," Sebastian explained. "I did try to teach them how to be proper servants, but they just never managed to learn." I inwardly sighed as I thought about those four. I had to say, my "life" had much less stress once they were gone. And yet, I seemed to have developed a certain fondness for them. They were a bit like the annoying dog you didn't like until it died.

"Hn," my master replied.

I noticed that the sky had become considerably darker in the past few minutes. "Young master, it looks as though it might rain. Why don't we return inside?" I suggested.

"Yes," he agreed. We quickly returned inside. I do believe it started to pour the moment we shut the door behind us. Glancing at a clock, I realized that it was close to tea time.

"Young master, is there anything else you'd like to do? If not, I shall go prepare your afternoon tea," I said.

I could tell he was thinking carefully about something. "Actually, Sebastian, there is. There's a room upstairs that has it's door locked. I want to see what's inside of it."

I suppose I should have been expecting that. Before this week, I had been waiting for my lord to demand to see the room. But in light of recent events, it had been pushed out of my mind. I decided it was best to play innocent. After my earlier behavior, he might suspect something if I easily allowed him access to the room. "Young master, that's a rather odd request," I said. "Why the sudden interest in such a trifle of a thing?"

**"It simply makes me curious," he replied. "That should be a good enough reason. Do have the means to unlock it?"**

**"Yes, I do," I answered slowly. "But maybe the young master should wait until later?"**

**"Why?" he asked, raising a brow. "I think now is a perfect time. Or is it that...there's something you don't want me to see?"**

**"Of course not!" I replied quickly. In truth, a part of me did not want him in the room. I did not wish to scare him. "As I said, it's almost teatime-"**

**"Don't lie to me!" my master demanded. "You're obviously trying to hide something from me. What ****sort of butler lies to his master? So tell me, what's in that room that you don't want me to see?"**

**I couldn't help but laugh of that. He was so sharp. "How very perceptive you are, my lord," he said. "That's one thing that hasn't changed after all this time. You are correct, though. A butler should never keep things from his master. Of course I will show you that room. Please follow me."**

**Judging by the wide-eyed look he then gave me, he did not expect me to comply so easily. Perhaps he questioned what went through my head? **

**He silently followed me to our destination. Pulling out my set of keys, I easily located the one I needed. It was the one I used most, after all. I put it in the lock and then turned to my charge. **

**"I had wanted to wait until the young master had been here longer before showing him this," I informed him, continuing the show. "But since you insist, I will do it."**

**I then opened the door and stood aside to allow my master access. I suppressed a smile as he obvious tried to hide his eagerness. Young boys did enjoy these sorts of thing, after all.**

**I could see the shock come over his face as he spotted the portrait of my previous master. An appropriate reaction, in my opinion. They did look very alike, after all. The only differences were their clothing and my first master's eye patch. He stepped closer to it and gazed at it closely. **

**I see that you're observing the portrait of my previous master," I said as I approached him "You look very much like him. You often act like him, too. Though you have a more cheerier disposition than he had. I might say it's an improvement." And it was.**

**"This was made over a hundred years ago," my master stated as he observed the date on the portrait. I felt a pang of sadness go through me at that. Even after all this time, it still hurt to think that my master has been dead for so long.**

**"A hundred and twenty four, to be precise," I added. I gently touched the painting with my gloved finger. "This was made four months before the fire. He died exactly a month before his fourteenth birthday." It was hard to keep the frown off my face. This was not an easy thing for me to talk about.**

**"His birthday was December fourteenth?" my new master asked quietly. "That's my birthday, too."**

**Ah. That wasn't surprising. It further convinced me that this boy was meant to be here. "Is that so?" I asked softly.**

**I watched as he explored the rest of the room. I explained that they were all things I collected because ****they reminded me of my previous master. Each one held fond memories for me. The bookshelf held his favorite books and some company records. I remembered how he would avoid his tutoring sessions and work when he found a book he favored. And I remembered how he slaved over the little details of his company, from how much sugar to put in our chocolate to what was a fair wage for the factory employees.**

**The old wardrobe held a few signed outfits. I recalled the tailor fussing over each one. I had to insist that she make my lord something dignified to wear. He was much too old for the sailor suits of his youth.**

**He played his chessboard whenever he could. He played against relatives and enemies alike. He had considerable skill for someone of his age. As I recall, he was undefeated. I've lost count of all the times I polished the set and put it away.**

**"It looks like you've a built a shrine of him in here," my young master suddenly stated, startling me out of my memories.**

**"Hm, I've never quite thought about it like that," I replied. A ****_shrine?_**** Really, of all the ridiculous...Well, I supposed I could see why he would think that. When I was alive, I would have never believed I could sink this low.**** "I suppose you could look at it that way."**

**"Do you come in here often?" he asked me.**

**"I do from time to time," I answered. Truthfully, I did a bit more often than that, but he did not need to know that information.**

**He was quiet for a bit before he suddenly turned to the covered coffin. "What's under here?" he asked.**

**Oh, dear. The moment I was waiting for was finally here. I still was not completely sure about what I was going to do. But I did have my orders..."That's something the young master may not want to see," I replied. "Of course, you can if you want to. But I do not believe it's wise."**

**And, of course, he marched right over to the coffin and pulled the tarp off of it. As expected, he recoiled at the sight of the rotting coffin. Perhaps he thought it was a mere table. I was simply grateful that it had no holes in it.**

**"What is this?" he whispered, obvious shaken. A part of me was upset at seeing him in distress, and another part felt a sadistic pleasure from it. There always was fun to be had it unnerving my usually composed master.**

**It was a bit unorthodox, but I squeezed his shoulders in an attempt to soothe him. It seemed to work, for he relaxed against me. "Relax, young master," I cooed. "Nothing is going to hurt you."**

**"Why is there a coffin in here?" he demanded.**

**I sighed. I knew that no matter how I explained it, it would come out sounding odd. "After this manor caught fire and burned down, they scavenged for the body's of everyone who resided here. And they found the bodies of the servants - including mine – but...not the body of my young master."**

**Again, I felt pain flow through me at the memories. "Apparently, the flames had trapped my young lord in his bedchamber," I explained. "Not knowing what else to do, he hid in a secret compartment in the wall. The smoke from the flames came in through the cracks and suffocated him. Since nobody except him and I knew about the compartment, they never located his body and he never received a proper burial. After everyone was gone, I used some wood that was still in good condition to make him a coffin and put him in here. It is not much, but I like to think that he would appreciate my efforts." I had not meant to say that last sentence. But I did mean it. It always make me happy when I knew I had pleased my master.**

**I could not help it when I started to remember every painful thing that had happened over the years. Even though I was dead, I was not immune to despair. I clutched my master tighter to remind myself that I was no longer alone. "Forgive me, my lord," I said. "I should not have been so forward. If you are done here, I shall prepare you some tea."**

**"Alright," he said, eager to leave the room.**

**"_Do it now, Sebastian,"_**** I heard a familiar voice say.**

**"Oh!" I exclaimed, making sure to sound like something had just occurred to me. "If you wait just a moment, my lord, there is one more thing."**

**I went over to the coffin and gently lifted the lid, much to my new master's shock. I quickly procured some cleaning supplies and went to get the ring. I was especially careful with it, for the band was fragile. I had wrapped it in a cloth to help preserve it.**

**"Please come here, young master," I requested. ****He slowly walked over to my side and watched as I cleaned the ring. **

**"This ring has been in your family for generations," I informed him "Naturally, I thought it would remain in the coffin with my previous master for the rest of time, but since there is a new Phantomhive ****here, it should be given to you."**

**I held the stone into the light to get a better look. There was indeed something different about it. It was almost as if there was a light within it. I then gently grasped my lord's hand and brought it toward it's new adornment.**

**"W-wait-" he stammered. He evidently did not want to wear it. But I had my orders, and as much as I liked this master, I wanted my old one back. I**

** quickly but carefully slipped it onto his thumb. I could see a change instantly come over him. He relaxed and straightened his posture. A certain coldness came into his eyes. It seemed as though my previous – no – my master was right.**

**"It suits you quite well, young master," I complemented. As well it should have. It was made for the family.**

**"Thank you, Sebastian," he said with a smile. I doubted that would last very long. "Now, how about that tea?"**

**"Yes, my lord," I answered. I was looking forward to the days ahead.**


	8. Arguments

**A/N: So, I was reading over chp.7 of ABNAM, and I noticed I messed up and said Ciel was about to go on summer break at one point. I planned it so they moved in the manor in mid to late September. The beginning of this chapter starts sometime in October and ends in November.**

**Thanks to Raverlynn for beta-ing.**

**XxxxxxX**

Despite what I initially thought, it took a bit of time for my master to become himself again. When the boy first put on the ring, I expected for my master to take him over completely. Instead, it seemed as though they were merging together. My first master's thoughts and personality seemed to be taking over, while the boy kept his own memories. I could not wait for the memories of his previous life to return to him. I felt as though I had waited long enough for my master.

To my joy, he became much more compliant when I tried to assist him. He no longer made me turn around when he dressed himself. Instead, he now allowed me the simple duty of changing his clothes. The first time I attempted it, I thought for sure that he would push me away, but he stood still and waited patiently. I suppressed a smile. It was nice to be useful again.

I knew that my old master was getting stronger when the boy actually allowed me to bathe him. He let me groom him as if I had been dong it all his life. With my help, he looked tidier than ever.

The formal, if not somewhat cold, personality of my old master began to surface. He no longer smiled as much. He spent more time to himself, mostly only talking to me. I could tell he still cared for his parents as any child would, but he no longer showed them a great deal of affection, as if such displays were beneath him.

Fortunately, he seemed to have ceased communication with those two vagrants he called "friends". Although, they seemed to not react well to this. My master told me what had occurred one day after he returned from school. He walked into his room with a small huff, dumping his bag and jacket by the door. He kicked his shoes off by the bed and flopped backwards onto it.

"Is something troubling you, young master?" I asked as I went to place his belongings in their proper place.

"I had a...confrontation of sorts, today," he groaned.

"What happened, sir?" I inquired as I placed his bag on the ottoman by his bed and went to retrieve his shoes.

"Those two idiots approached me after school was over," he said. "They wanted to know why I have been 'avoiding' them."

"And what did you say?" I asked. This was a good chance to see how much of my master had taken over in this matter.

"I simply told them that I no longer required their company. They didn't take very well to that. Alois actually had the gall to lay hands on me."

"Lay hands on you, sir?" I echoed. That brat had actually dared to harm my master. Oh, he was lucky he was nowhere near the grounds. "Do you want retribution for this?"

"No, I'd rather just forget about it," he replied. "Besides, can you even leave the grounds? I don't think he would come back here anytime soon."

"You know, I've never actually tried to leave here before," I answered. "I do not know if I'm capable of leaving."

"Hm," was all he said in reply. I supposed that this conversation was over.

**XxxxxxxX**

The next month passed by pleasantly. The young master let me care for him whenever it was possible. His parents always left him to his own business in the morning, so I was always able to prepare him breakfast, and sometimes lunch. He no longer thanked me, but as my master he should not be expected to. I could tell he enjoyed my cooking, though.

He would allow me to help him with his school work if he needed it. I was even able to persuade him to let me tutor him in areas such as history, Latin, and music. I myself always excelled in those areas, and I was a strict but efficient teacher.

Life seemed to return to how it once was. It was simply me and my master, going about our business as usual. But that changed on day in November. The young master's extended family was planning a vacation, and they wanted to celebrate his birthday early. I suppose it was kind of them to want to celebrate, but I also thought it was arrogant to move his birthday party up just to suit their own needs. But my master did not seem to mind this too much. I wondered if this was a common occurrence.

He did, however, seem to mind the fact that they were celebrating at all. He voiced his complaints to me as I dressed him in a nice gray suit with bits of brown on the front of the jacket and ends of the sleeves.

"I don't even _want_ to celebrate," he grumbled. "Ever since we visited that room, the thought of my birthday just makes me think of this place burning down. And I am not in the mood to deal with my aunt and cousins."

"Now, now, young master, don't fret," I soothed. This was a scene I was quite familiar with. My master used to make it every year. "They are your family. It won't be that bad."

"Probably," he sighed. "But my cousins can be a bit...overbearing. I'm afraid that I might lose my temper."

"I'm sure that you can stay composed, my lord," I said with a smile. "Just remember, they are guests in your home." The Phantomhives were always known for their hospitality, after all.

"I suppose you're right," he said as he put on his ring. I smiled softly when I saw that. I believed that the more he wore the ring, the more my master would come out. It also helped that the boy wore it quite well.

I followed him as he went downstairs to greet his family. My eyes widened in surprise when he was tackled by a young lady in a bright pink dress. She looked...familiar. Ah! It didn't take me long to remember. She greatly resembled my master's fiancée, Lady Elizabeth. I supposed it was only natural that she should have descendants that resembled her.

Happy early birthday, Ciel!" she squealed. I had most definitely not missed that voice.

"Hello, Elizabeth," he greeted quietly.

"Oh, what's with this 'Elizabeth' stuff?" she whined. "You always call me Lizzie! And what's with that suit? It's not cute at all. It's very drab!"

"I rather like this suit," he said, making a point of staying polite and dignified.

These descendants were also as inappropriate as her, as her mother pointed out. "Elizabeth!" she snapped. "Don't insult him like that! Especially not at his birthday party!"

Really, insulting my master's dress like that. The nerve. If I didn't know better, I'd say she was raised in a barn.

She, of course, apologized. His parents chose that moment to come into the room. They greeted one another and then went into the dining room. I was a bit disappointed that I had no hand in preparing the meal, but I supposed I could make him something special on his actual birthday. I dutifully stood by his chair, making sure to keep my presence hidden. I barely listened to the guests' chatter about their up and coming trip. I tried to focus on what sort of birthday cake my master would like. Chocolate, perhaps? Or maybe vanilla with strawberries.

I was brought out of my musings by my master's mother. Rachel, I believed was her name. "Ciel, where on earth did you get that ring?" she asked her son. I was wondering when somebody would notice it.

"I discovered this whilst exploring the house a few months ago," he lied. Not the best explanation, but it would do. It wasn't a complete lie, after all. "After doing some research, I learned that this ring has been in our family for generations. I thought that it was only fit to wear it."

"Ooh, it's so pretty!" that Elizabeth girl cried. To my shock, she had the gall to snatch it right off his thumb. Did this girl have no sense? This family really must have fallen from nobility in order to act so rudely. "Is this a real diamond? It matches your eyes-"

"Give it back!" my master immediately demanded. It was good to see him taking authority over the situation. I knew that he already had an attachment to the ring. I'm sure that my old master also did not want it gone, for obvious reasons.

His family seemed surprised by this outburst. "Ciel-" the girl started.

"Don't just take things without permission!" he yelled. "Don't you have any sense? Give it back now!" It was odd how much our thoughts were in sync, sometimes.

"Why are you being so mean to me?" she yelled back. "I just wanted to look at it! Alois and Soma were right, you've changed! I don't like you anymore! Here, take your damned ring!"

My eyes widened as the little brat threw the ring to the ground, shattering the band and a few small pieces of the stone. Time seemed to stop for a moment as a deep panic invaded my senses. How could I allow this to happen? What was going to happen to my master? Was this going to harm him in some way?

From the corner of my eye, I noticed my master start to raise his hand. I instantly knew that he meant to strike her. As angry as he was, I could not allow this. He did have an image to uphold. I quickly moved to still his arm. That seemed to bring him out of his anger. He sighed and went to pick up the remnants of the ring. I gathered the bits of the stone that he did not see.

"Excuse me," he said quietly. He left for his room, not noticing the surprised and angry looks his relatives were giving him.

He sat heavily on his bed and looked sadly at the shattered pieces of his prized possession. I went to his side and gently took them from him.

"You've grown very attached to this, haven't you?" I asked, even though I already knew the answer. I was about to tell him that I could repair it when I heard someone approaching. I decided to make myself scarce for the time being.

It was the young master's parents who came into the room. By the looks on their faces, they were not pleased with what had transpired downstairs. I began to feel anxious on my lord's behalf. I had never seen him disciplined by anyone other than myself.

"Ciel, we need to talk," his father, Vincent, I believe, said with authority. He was what I always imagined my master would grow up to be. Kind and approachable when the situation called for it, but intimidating and every bit "in charge" when he wanted to be.

"About what?" my master asked, sounding petulant to my ears.

Evidently, his father agreed that this was the wrong thing to say, for he snapped ""What do you mean 'about what'? For starters, how about that little stunt you pulled down there? How could you treat Lizzie like that?"

"She broke a precious family heirloom in a fit of childish rage," my master said, sounding indifferent. "Was I just supposed to smile and look the other way?" Ah, exactly what I would expect my lord to say.

His father did not share my sentiments. Or about his son's view on things. "She was just looking at it!" Vincent yelled. _She did far more than that, sir_, I wanted to say. "You didn't have to snap at her like that! You even made her cry!"

I could tell my master wanted to make some sort of snide remark. But decided against it. "Fine, I'll go apologize if it makes her feel better," he offered. Oh, dear. It was high time he learned that acting like an angry child would get him nowhere.

"They already left," his mother told him. "Poor Lizzie was crying her eyes out. Frances thought it was best to take her home. And you _will_ call her and apologize tomorrow." My, that girl's theatrics had quite an effect on her family.

"Why should I have to apologize?" my master demanded. "I told you that I didn't even want them over in the first place."

"They're your family and they should be able to see you on your birthday!" Vincent shouted. "Honestly, why are you being such a brat?"

"That's something else we've been wanting to talk about, darling," Rachel said. "It seems that ever since we've moved here, your attitude has changed completely. You've just grown so distant and mean. Tell us, when was the last time you've talked to your friends?" I must admit, I was wondering when they were going to address the changes in their son. I was beginning to think they were dense.

"I do not have friends," he said in an even tone. "I do not require them."

"What are you saying? That you don't need other people?" his father demanded. "All you ever do is hang around the house. You never talk to anyone, you never call anyone, and you never go out unless we make you. Why are you so reclusive?" It seems that they did not like the boy's new views on life. But I did not care. Friends would just hold my master back. All he needed was his own cunning and myself to look out for him.

"I find that solitude suits me quite well," he replied. "I prefer to be alone."

"Darling, you never acted like this until we moved here," his mother observed. "And that's why we've decided that we're moving back into our old house in London. This is something your father and I have already discussed numerous times. We think that it will help you open up again."

For the second time that night, time seemed to freeze. They were _leaving?_ No, no, I would not allow this! I was a butler. I could not be without a master. Or as I should say, I could not be without _this_ master.

"You think the house has anything to do with this?" he asked. "No, it is simply me. You can either accept that or not."

"Enough!" his father snapped. "We're moving out in four days. Start packing!"

I glared at their backs as they walked away. That sounded like a threat against my lord. But I had other issues to attend to.


	9. Desperate Measures

**A/N: Sorry this took so long. School started last week, and the week before that I was busy with GISHWHES. There will be one more chapter, but I can't say when it will be up.**

**XxxxxX**

My thoughts were churning like mad after my lord's parents left us. What was I going to do? I could not face being left alone in this large house again. I would surely lose whatever sanity I had left. I decided then and there that I would do anything and everything in my power to make sure my master stayed in this house. A good lord would never abandon his home. As a butler, it was his duty to make sure of this.

The reason they even moved here was for the lady to get away from the city air, was it not? Surely they would not leave for the city again so soon...

I was brought out of my thoughts by my master. "I take it you heard all that?" he asked me, sounding surprisingly gentle.

"Yes, I did," I replied calmly. I wanted to speak my mind, but I need to calm myself further. It would not do to let him see how upset I was.

It was then that I remembered the cause of this ordeal. I knelt in front of his master and gently took the boy's hand. I took the now repaired ring out of my pocket and put it back on his thumb, where it belonged.

"You fixed it?" he asked. He looked amazed. I did not blame him. Not everyone can piece together fragile silver and bits of diamond as easily as I could.

"Yes. What kind of butler would I be if I couldn't do something as simple as that?" I replied.

I looked closely into his eyes to make sure that...spark of my master came back. To my dismay, it did not. Instead, the boy stared at his prized possession dispassionately. I do believe I saw him flinch slightly as he stared at the blue stone. I felt my heart sink. How was I going to fix this? The boy just was not quite my master without it.

I was barely aware that he was speaking. But there was no more time for meaning less words. I had to make sure he stayed in the manor. "Please, young master," I begged softly "you must find a way to change your parents' minds. I could not bear it if you were to leave this house. I was without a master for so long before you came. I don't think I could bear it if you left."

"Don't worry, Sebastian," he soothed. "We'll work something out."

I could tell from his tone that he was already losing interest in persuading his parents to stay. It seemed as though I would have to double my efforts.

**XxxxxxX**

I watched helplessly as my master slowly slipped through my fingers. He lost that lofty pride that I so admired in him. He stopped allowing me to do my normal duties of dressing and bathing him. He even lowered himself to speaking with those vagrants he called friends again. Why could he not see that they would only drag him down in the long run?

And, of course, he went right back to being his parents' little boy. I knew that he was only thirteen, but childish behavior and submission did not suit him. As far as I was concerned, he was already an adult in his own right.

I was especially distraught when he actually apologized to his cousin for "upsetting her". Oh, how I hated that little brat. It was all her fault that my master was no longer my master. But there was nothing I could do about that now.

I could tell only after three days that the boy had lost his desire to stay in the manor. I tried my hardest to get him to change his mind. He was my master, and I was his butler. He needed to be where I could serve him. Why did he not understand that?

"Damn it, Sebastian!" he yelled at one point. "I have told you over and over. I am moving out tomorrow and there's nothing I can do about it. I know that you don't want me to go, but you're just going to have to deal with it."

_Deal with it?_ This brat obviously had no sympathy for my situation. "But young master," I tried again, "you don't understand. I simply _cannot _be in a house without a master in it."

"Well, you're just going to have to," he snapped. "Now leave my sight. I've had enough of your whining.

I could not hold back my glare. Really, after everything I've done for him, he sends me away like it was nothing? I was seething as I left the room. This was my last chance to do something to make him stay. I supposed that I could use physical force, but that would only work for so long. I would have to give into his orders to release him eventually. And if I tried to appeal to his parents, they would surely become frightened and depart faster.

It seemed as though I had only one option left.

As I recalled, there were a few hemlock plants growing in the far side of the garden. I had planted them there ages ago, in case the young master wanted to have a guest quickly and neatly disposed of. Unfortunately, it seemed as though my master would be the one to finally taste it.

It did not take long to gather a few of the white flowers and bring them into the kitchen. I hummed quietly as I heated milk and chopped a handful of leaves from the stems into a fine powder. They let off a bit of a smell, but I assumed that it would soon pass. I stirred it into the milk until it was hardly noticeable. I then added honey and a bit of white food dye that I found in the cupboards to the hot liquid before transporting it to a pot.

I smiled slightly as I made my way to my lord's bedroom. Really, I should have thought of this sooner. What better way to ensure that my master would always stay than killing him? Thankfully, he was still awake when I came to him.

"Young master?" I asked to get his attention. I smiled at him as he turned to look at me.

"My lord, please forgive me for acting the way I have for the past few days," I said. "It was quite unacceptable for a butler." Which was true. A good butler would have stayed dignified, no matter the circumstances.

"...It's alright," he answered slowly. I could tell he did not care much anymore. He believed that he would be leaving soon, after all.

"I noticed that you were having trouble sleeping, sir, so I took the liberty of preparing you some warm milk," I said as I poured the drink and handed it to him. It was strange, how it was me who was literally handing the boy his own death. I tried to remember a time when I would never have even thought of this.

He drank it down quickly enough. A part of me entertained the thought that he was as eager for this as I was. I could see the confusion in his eyes as he laid down. I tucked him in as if it were any other night.

"Go to sleep, young master," I soothed. I stood over him and watched as the life faded from his eyes. It did not take long for the poison to take full effect.

I watched his still body for any signs of life. I had to make sure he was dead before I took my next step. Slowly, a small white orb began to raise itself from his small body. I quickly snatched what I believed to be his soul and held onto it tightly. On closer observation, there were tiny strings that were trying to pull the orb away.

"Now, now, let's have none of that," I cooed softly. It was surprisingly easy to break the strings off and leave the soul in my hand.

"Now then, sir, we should really get you back to bed," I said.

There was a trick that I had not tried in awhile. I found that if I concentrated hard enough, I could travel to a "spirit realm" for lack of a better term. It was essentially the same as the manor, except there was nothing beyond it. I decided it would be best to take the young master there until his parents left. It would not be good for anyone if he tried to gain their attention.

It was easy to manipulate things there. I restored my master's room to its former décor. My master now donned a white nightshirt instead of his usual blue pants and shirt. I gently tucked him in. Not that anything could really hurt him now.

I did not know how long it would take for him to wake, so I went to collect him an outfit. I selected his favorite blue suit. A good thing to start a new "life" in. After gently folding it and putting it on the cart, I made my way back to the bedroom. Time tended to pass differently here, so I was not surprised to see that it was day. And to my joy, I spotted my master sitting up, looking around bemusedly.

"Good morning, young master!" I greeted jovially as I went to open the curtains.

"Sebastian?" he asked, sounding confused. "What's going on?"

"What do you mean, my lord?" I asked. It was best to pretend things were normal as long as possible.

I heard him gasp in surprise as I pulled back his covers. He was obviously surprised to see his new sleeping attire. He was also shocked when he saw the day's outfit.

"Sebastian, what happened?" he demanded. "I demand you tell me!"

I supposed it was best to come out with it. I put my hands on my shoulders in order to brace and comfort him. "Well, to put it simply, my lord, you're dead," I answered.

He simply stared at me in shock for a few moments. "What?" he finally yelled. "What do you mean I'm dead? How can I be dead?"

"I'm afraid that I had to resort to extreme measures to keep you here, my lord," I explained calmly. "I put a very fast acting poison in your milk. I trust that your passing was quite painless?"

It hurt me the see the pain, confusion, and horror that passed through his eyes. I was very aware of the fact that I had just robbed him of his future. I comforted him in the only way I knew how.

I smiled and bowed before him. "Not to worry, young master," I said. "I am here. And I will be your butler _forever_."


End file.
